Face2Face

From benthos - dominated to zooplankton - dominated mode:
two faces of the Arctic fjords in the changing world

The aim of our project is to evaluate the response of benthic communities to processes occurring in water column, in the high latitude Spitsbergen fjords with contrasting oceanographic conditions

Where

Our field campaign takes place in two Arctic fjord systems affected by different water masses. The European Arctic represents a complex combination of Atlantic and Arctic water masses under the Arctic light regime. In the Greenland Sea, sea ice has declined and the eastern side has experienced large increases in temperature (Vinje 2001). These changes have been driven primarily by increased advection of warm, saline, Atlantic water into the Greenland Sea via the West Spitsbergen Current (Walczowski & Piechura, 2006).

Spitsbergen is located between 76 and 81°N in the European Arctic at the edge of the Arctic Ocean. Hydrographic conditions in the west Spitsbergen fjords are shaped by the dynamic interactions between water masses of local and regional origin (Svendsen et al., 2002; Cottier et al., 2005; 2007; Tverberg and Nost, 2007; Nielsen et al., 2008), with two main currents involved. On the shelf, cold and relatively fresh Arctic Water originating from the Barents Sea is transported northward along the coast by the Sørkapp Current while outside the shelf warm and saline Atlantic Water originating from the Norwegian Sea flows in the same direction in the form of the West Spitsbergen Current (Cottier et al., 2005; Walczowski et al., 2005).

Different bathymetry at the mouths of the fjords, tidal currents and wind conditions are the main factors responsible for differences in hydrographic conditions between fjords and adjacent shelf waters on the west coast of Spitsbergen. Hydrographic conditions in Hornsund are mainly influenced by the cold Arctic Water coming from from the Barents Sea, whereas Kongsfjorden is to a larger degree under the influence of the warm Atlantic Water (Svendsen et al. 2002; Cottier et al. 2005, Nielsen et al., 2008).

Why

The concept is based on previous observations from different years and fjords basins (published and unpublished data) 2-3 times higher total zooplankton abundance (A) in Atlantic influenced Kongsfjorden in comparison to Arctic Hornsund (Gluchowska et al., in prep)significantly lower meiofauna (B) and soft- bottom macrozoobenthos (C) abundances in Kongsfjorden compared with Hornsund (Kotwicki et al. 2004; Wlodarska-Kowalczuk et al., 2005; Wlodarska-Kowalczuk and Weslawski, 2006; Grzelak and Kotwicki 2011)

Different bathymetry at the mouths of the fjords, tidal currents and wind conditions are the main factors responsible for differences in hydrographic conditions between fjords and adjacent shelf waters on the west coast of Spitsbergen. Hydrographic conditions in Hornsund are mainly influenced by the cold Arctic Water coming from from the Barents Sea, whereas Kongsfjorden is to a larger degree under the influence of the warm Atlantic Water (Svendsen et al. 2002; Cottier et al. 2005, Nielsen et al., 2008).

How

    Our research tasks cover:
  • Investigation of pelagic assemblages’ structure (pico-, nano-, micro- and mezoplankton assemblages)
  • Investigation of benthic assemblages’ structure (bacterial, meio- and macrofaunal assemblages)
  • Estimation of temporary organic matter flux to the seafloor in two fjords (based on sedimentation traps)
  • Estimation of longer-term organic matter flux to the seafloor in two fjords (based on sediment accumulation rates)

Sampling campaign in summer 2013 will be carried out at the board of r/v Oceania

    Sampling program will include detailed investigation of:

  • water column (Chl_a, POC, PON, biomass and composition of bacteria, nanoµprotoplankton, mikro- & mesozooplankton)
  • sediment (grain size, Chl_a, organic carbon and nitrogen, abundance and composition of bacteria, meio- & macrofauna)
  • sediment trap (POC, PON, Chl_a & biological components)

Who

The project is carried by :

Jan Marcin Węsławski,
team leader, benthos & food web

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Marta Gluchowska
zooplankton

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Katarzyna Grzelak
meiofauna

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with the great help and support of collegues from IOPAN, Gdansk University of Technology
and National Martine Fisheries Research Institute

Outreach

Grzelak K., Gluchowska M. From benthos dominated to zooplankton dominated mode- biological backgrounds of Face2Face project. Meiofauna International Conference and Workshop- a dive in a microscopic world. 26-29 November 2013, Brest, France




Poster